Why do HubSpot Professionals Leave?
As someone who recruits exclusively in the HubSpot Partner ecosystem, I tend to speak to two types of people.
Those who are genuinely unhappy and actively looking, and those who are fairly content but open if something excellent appears. This article focuses on the first group — the people who have already made the decision.
I reviewed the call notes from the last 30 HubSpot professionals I’ve spoken to and looked for patterns. Not opinions. Patterns. A few themes consistently surfaced.
Workload and Sustainability
Most professionals within Partner businesses understand the model. There will be busy periods. There will be occasional late finishes. That comes with the territory.
The issue arises when “busy” becomes the default. Interestingly, it’s often the strongest consultants who raise this first. The dependable ones. The people trusted to deliver complex work under pressure. Naturally, more responsibility finds its way to them.
Over time, that compounds. Several projects running in parallel, tight timelines, new work landing before old work has fully settled. In smaller delivery teams, especially those growing quickly, hiring can lag behind demand. When there’s no visible easing off point, fatigue starts to creep in.
Out of the 30 conversations I reviewed, workload or burnout was mentioned in 14. It’s the single most common theme once someone has mentally decided to explore other options. This isn’t about professionals being unwilling to work hard. It’s about long-term sustainability.
Remuneration and Market Movement
The Partner landscape has shifted significantly in the last five years. Traditional marketing agencies evolved into serious CRM delivery businesses, HubSpot CRM matured rapidly, and demand for experienced consultants increased.
The ecosystem is still relatively young, but it’s maturing quickly. As competition for strong talent increases, salary expectations inevitably move with it.
I regularly speak to consultants who enjoy their role and respect their employer, but feel their remuneration hasn’t quite kept pace with the wider market or with the level of responsibility they now carry. It’s rarely about chasing the biggest number. More often, it’s about alignment between impact and compensation.
That doesn’t necessarily mean companies are underpaying. Sometimes it simply reflects how quickly the market has moved.
The Structural Ceiling
Another recurring theme is the feeling of having reached a ceiling.
For very senior professionals, progression isn’t always obvious. They may already hold a Head of title, or they may be operating as senior consultants at the top of their current structure. In smaller or more specialised Partner environments, further vertical progression can be limited simply due to size.
That’s often when conversations around contracting, fractional work, or launching their own consultancy begin to surface. For others, it’s less about title and more about change. After years in the Partner ecosystem, they feel ready to test themselves in-house, on the product side, or within larger transformation projects.
Progression and Development Beyond Title
Progression isn’t only about job titles. It’s about exposure and growth.
Many professionals want increased ownership of larger, more complex projects, the opportunity to mentor junior team members, exposure to enterprise-level work, and clear pathways into leadership roles. They want to see what the next two to three years could realistically look like.
In some Partner environments, those opportunities naturally exist. In others, they take time to materialise. When ambitious individuals can’t clearly see that next step, they begin exploring where it might exist elsewhere.
That’s normal career behaviour, not to be mistaken as disloyalty.
Final Thoughts
None of this is written as criticism. What a bloody exciting time it is for us in the Hubspot world. The HubSpot Partner ecosystem has grown quickly — in some cases faster than anyone anticipated. Many Partners manage workload well, remain competitive on compensation, and offer strong progression pathways.
However, where small gaps appear, those are often the moments that trigger conversations with recruiters like me.
For Partners reading this, the question isn’t whether something is “wrong.” It’s whether you’re aware of how quickly this market is evolving, and how that evolution is shaping expectations.
In a follow-up piece, I’ll share what I’m seeing from the other side — the Partners who are consistently retaining and attracting the strongest HubSpot talent, and what they’re doing differently.
Because plenty are getting this right.
I had the pleasure of working with Campbell whilst transitioning into a new role as a Solutions Engineer, and I cannot recommend him highly enough. Campbell was a true Partner throughout the process. He didn't just faciliate introductions, he provided expert guidance every step of the way. Managed expectations and ensure communication was always transparent.
Hubspot Solutions Engineer
